A watered-down lobbying bill passed by a 217-213 margin Wednesday, with area U. S. representatives splitting on the bill. Seventh District Congressman Roy Blunt voted in favor of the measure, while Fourth District Representative Ike Skelton voted against it.
The measure calls for a ban on lobbyist-financed travel until the end of the year rather than the permanent ban some legislators had sought. It also calls for more frequent disclosure of gifts from lobbyists.
The bill was criticized because it did not ban gifts outright. A proposal to send the bill back for further instructions, an effort to try to make it tougher, died by a 216-213 vote with Skelton supporting the proposal and Blunt opposing it.
More information can be found in this Houston Chronicle article.
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